Hakuhei Kuchiki
Hakuhei Kuchiki (朽木 白兵, Kuchiki Hakuhei) is the child of Sōmei Kuchiki and Yoshiro Ōmura during their rather brief marriage and its consummation. As a result of the disagreement between his two parents, Hakuhei is solely raised by the . However, due to the impulsivity of his father’s side remaining with him, Hakuhei is known to be an unstable Shinigami within the Gotei 13. He currently acts as the 9th Seat within the Sixth Division. Appearance Hakuhei takes the appearance of a young man with the attractive features of the Kuchiki Clan residing prominently within him. This is particularly evident in the majority of the features that constitute his body. The first notion of these traits is his body shape and structure. He is known to have a lean, slightly muscular build, and is relatively tall in comparison to most young men of his physical age. As well as this, his arms and legs are known to be lean, but have muscle enough to carry somewhat heavy items with noticeable ease. In addition to his body structure are his facial structure and features: he is known to have a thin, almost ovular facial structure, with a slight baby-face in comparison to most Kuchiki thanks to his immaturity. Furthermore, he is known to have particularly bright green eyes, inherited from his paternal grandfather, as well as a thin nose. His hair color, inherited from both of his families, is colored a deep black. It is short, and cut in a bowl cut that leaves some locks of his hair, at the center of his forehead, slightly below his eyes. In terms of attire, he wears the staple attire of most Shinigami within the Gotei 13 consisting of a black kosode and black hakama, tied together with a white obi. He also dresses with the general tabi sandals as well with a pair of white socks. Also, over his kosode he wears a simple blue haori, along with a black and red scarf forged by an elite tailor of the Kuchiki Clan. Personality Hakuhei is a young man who is primarily identified by the problems he possesses in personal identification. In particular, he demonstrates this struggle through his inability to discern whether he is truly of Kuchiki or Ōmura lineage, a plague that has crept into his mind as a result of the various actions he has committed through the unintentional surfacing of his "accursed" heritage, as well as the several conflicts that have risen among his own clan due to the nature of his birth. Therefore, Hakuhei can be plainly considered as a young man pursuing the clarity he requires to understand his own sense of identity, and through this singular goal in life, he demonstrates a multi-faceted personality that is unlike a common Gotei 13 operative. Hakuhei, from a general consensus, has been portrayed with the common elements of a higher-ranking Kuchiki clansman. In particular, he puts on the act of nobility very well - the act of being dismissive, that is. He is constantly seen with a calm and serene aura about him, which in turn causes others to admonish his presence as nothing more than a spoiled child. This is most evident through the way that he uses his condescension, despite his lower ranking in comparison to numerous others. He regularly makes subtle taunts to those who are weaker than him, and criticizes them for not being able to live up to the expectations of the Gotei 13. However, this facade of being dismissive is actually something to hide his extremely strong feelings in regards to the Gotei 13. Ever since he was a child, Hakuhei's mother has conditioned him to believe that the Gotei 13 fights for a noble cause, and he has seen various examples of this throughout the history he has studied. Therefore, despite holding mannerisms that might cause him to be distant with others among the Gotei, he does in-fact hold some level of respect for every officer who pledges his loyalty to the Gotei 13. He, in particular, reveres the Captains and Lieutenants to an astonishing degree, to the point where the entirety of his persona changes in front of them. While this may be attributed to their superior position among the forces, the sheer respect they command from him leads him to be much more sincere in his brief conversations with them. In particular, Hakuhei is apparently quite cheerful and expresses his intent to become stronger and more useful to the Gotei 13, something which he wishes to achieve by gaining the title of the Captain of the Sixth Division. And yet, once again, all these elements of his personality are things that have been conjured and formed from his interactions with other people. Therefore, when he taps into a more individual aspect of his persona, the mannerisms he demonstrates are strikingly different and generally cause much shock among any who are victimized to it. The negative reactions he has seen from people who have noticed his original identity also play a part in subduing this personality from appearing in front of other people. This is mainly due to Hakuhei's intense insecurities in regards to people's opinions of himself, something which consciously causes him to act in specific ways around people in order to ensure that, if there even is a topic of gossip, it is not a negative criticism of himself. Therefore, it is here where he attempts to draw the line between creating his own sense of self from the personality he has adopted in front of others. Indeed, it has become such an extreme case for himself that Hakuhei has a somewhat mild case of , something which manifests due to the extreme duality of both his heritage, as well as the influences that have been placed upon himself at large. In order to ensure that this doesn't leak to the general public, however, he generally tends to speak with his zanpakutō rather than any other outside source. Because of this, he appears to be much closer with his sword than most other Shinigami are at this stage of his lifetime. Interestingly, Hakuhei appears to enjoy passing his time through modelling in the human world. It is a common habit of his, and is something he indulges in primarily when he goes to missions to patrol the Human World overall. He also does limited modelling for the Soul Society, through the as his sponsor. While he appears to be very interested in the act, it doesn't appear to be a possible career choice for him due to his other commitments. History Hakuhei was a rather interesting child, something which is still commented upon by those who are not part of the Kuchiki and Ōmura Clan. He was a product of a union from two completely contradictory clans, only brought together through an almost illicit marriage by Sōmei Kuchiki and Yoshiro Ōmura, respectively. His birth was in a time of turmoil for his parents, as they were on the verge of splitting from one another due to complications within their respective families, as well as the political repercussions as a result of this union. Therefore, after extensive court cases, Hakuhei was taken in the custody of his mother, and they went their separate ways from the Ōmura Clan since then. Soon afterwards, Sōmei had returned to the Kuchiki establishment, where she was immediately admonished for her foolish behavior and the expeditions that she had undertaken when marrying Yoshiro. While she was permitted to stay in the residence, she had to keep both herself, and Hakuhei separate from the rest of the clan for the majority of the time. Therefore, Sōmei and Hakuhei, in their isolation, would begin to bond much more familiarly than most parents and children at that time in their lives. Throughout numerous years in his life, Hakuhei would be under the care of his mother. Because he was doted on quite heavily, but also given several expectations, Hakuhei came out as an archetypal representation of a descendant of the Kuchiki Clan - a man with no regard to the existence of those below him. This caused him to be separate among most children his age, and therefore increased the bond between himself and his mother even further. At this point of time, Hakuhei was also given the responsibility to train and become a prominent member of the Kuchiki Clan, a debt that his mother owed due to her lack of responsibility when marrying into the Ōmura Clan. His initial training consisted primarily of the major combat forms of Shinigami: Hakuda and Zanjutsu. Hakuhei placed less emphasis on Hakuda because he found it brutish, but he appeared to enjoy his training within the art of Zanjutsu far more, primarily because of the manner in which he could refine it to the point where it fit the essence of the character he wished to mold into. However, it was here for the first time that Hakuhei appeared to delve into his primal instincts strongly. Indeed, after his second training session, Hakuhei appeared to accidentally awaken his Ōmura heritage and went on a berserk rampage, something which was immediately quelled by his mother. He was unaware of the details of this rampage for a significant period of time, due to it being wiped from his memory through an obscure kidō. Nonetheless, he continued to train within these arts underneath his mother's supervision, ensuring that the young man did not tap into his primal instincts once again. This training continued until he was admitted into the , which he was able to enter on the first time successfully. Hakuhei's time within the academy itself was lackluster at best. The most notable aspects of the academy that had defined him were two things: the acquisition of his zanpakutō, and the ability to learn kidō. Hakuhei acquired his asauchi in his second year. Strangely, Hakuhei's zanpakutō, upon staying with him for some period of time, had transformed into a daishō pair. Upon inquiry, Hakuhei was informed that the asauchi had changed forms due to the binaries within his soul. Hakuhei was left confused at this explanation, and then consulted his mother about the topic. Consulting his mother, Hakuhei was made aware of the other aspect of his heritage, the Ōmura Clan. This newfound revelation left Hakuhei rather puzzled, primarily because he was never told about it his entire life. In fact, prior to even consulting his mother later on about this, he began to take out his rage towards his clan. Always ostracizing him for his heritage, Hakuhei began to act rudely in front of anyone he met. In particular, he even directly insulted the present elders and head of the clan without any regard for his actions, which later on caused him to be severely scolded by the majority of the Kuchiki. Due to this event, Hakuhei and his mother decided to live in isolation from the clan, hoping that Hakuhei would continue his studies in peace. Yet, due to the nature of their interaction regarding Hakuhei's heritage, the young man was never fond of his mother. They acted distantly from one another, despite Sōmei's constant attempts at pacifying him. At that point, she decided that it would be best for Hakuhei himself to see the nature of the clan he had half of his inheritance from, which he agreed to. Visiting the clan a day afterward, Hakuhei would be shocked at the sheer barbaric nature of the clan he had half of his inheritance from. Looking upon the constant duels within the clan, the bloodshed across their training compounds, and even the people themselves! Nobody here was exempt from this barbarian behavior, except for one female of the clan: Izumi Ōmura. Izumi appeared to be a composed individual. While she possessed the characteristic features of the clan, she took them on with a civil aura. Sōmei, revealing that Izumi was Hakuhei's aunt, allowed Hakuhei to have an inkling of respect for the clan his father came from. While he wasn't allowed to meet his father due to some complications, Hakuhei walked away from the compound feeling a little better regarding the issue. The conflicts between Sōmei and himself were also dying down gradually. Herein, Hakuhei continued his tourney within the Shin'ō Academy. Going against popular belief, Hakuhei managed to retain a rather proficient record throughout his academy life. While he wasn't the most approachable or talented individual, he maintained a consistency in all of his performances at a high standard. This was mainly due to his self-guided study in other, more obscure arts that students would not generally learn. Therefore, he demonstrated an abstract perspective on concepts that would most often be viewed within a black or white manner. However, this also caused him to lose valuable marks and possible placements in higher classes, though he persisted in learning with his own, unique flair. Taking five years within the academy, Hakuhei accomplished his goal of becoming a full-fledged Shinigami. His first position was among the relatively neutral underneath rather obscure leadership. While displaying somewhat average performance, his skill within Kidō was notable enough to allow him to elevate his status to the 9th Seat within the 6th Division - a significant leap. Even further, Hakuhei also demonstrated the capability to awaken his Shikai, Uroten. However, his progress since hasn't been very accelerated, for he is attempting to master his Shikai as best as possible. Synopsis Powers and Abilities : While not exactly something that has gained the attention of Captains and others of similar status, Hakuhei is presented an individual with a moderate supply of spiritual power in comparison to most who would be in his position. It is believed that he has inherited an amalgamation of properties from both of his bloodlines, therefore creating a unique spiritual signature on its own. In particular, Hakuhei's spiritual energy has two manners of manifestation. Firstly, it most commonly possesses properties attributed to the highly noble Kuchiki Clan. These properties are relevant primarily to his control over the exertion of his power, as it expresses itself naturally as a very calm aura. In this state, his spiritual power is a very calm and tranquil baby blue, a hint towards his naïveté. Alternatively, Hakuhei's spiritual power can be chaotic and in a constant uproar. This particular aspect of his power arrived from his Ohmura heritage, which he knows little about. This parallel version of his spiritual power only arises during situations where he cannot react coherently, at which his body appears to be in an almost possessed state. Also, while in this trance, it is shown that Hakuhei has a very intimidating visage, which has been compared to a Hollow on numerous occasions. *'Lunacy' (遠吠えの月, Tōboe no Tsuki; Literally meaning "Howling Moon"): A state exclusive to those individuals who descend from the Ōmura Clan. While it varies dependent on the strength of the bloodline within the individual. It is a primary technique of the Ōmura Clan which reportedly enhances their combat abilities significantly, although it is entirely dependent on the wielder. In Hakuhei's case, the technique envelops him in chaotic spiritual energy upon his choosing, thereby causing a temporary reduction in his coherency for a boost in instinctual fighting and some level of enhanced fighting ability. This isn't a state which he can control, but rather, it activated when Hakuhei is pressured significantly in battle, such as when heavy injuries are sustained upon him. Although it enhances his capabilities to someone approximately in the Fourth-seated position, it is an ineffective method of combat primarily because it causes him to sustain injuries with much more ease without knowledge of their repercussions until later. Notable Physical Ability: Hakuhei doesn't possess any superhuman traits so-to-speak. However, he does possess a commendable level of physical ability which he can apply into day-to-day situations. His level of strength is enough to, quite easily, carry heavy objects around from squad to squad without tiring. An indication of his endurance and durability are generally demonstrated in his missions to the Human World, where he has reportedly fought against multiple Hollow on his own for a significant amount of time before reinforcements came, albeit, he wasn't directly engaged in combat the entire time. Aside from this, his reflex is also quite notable, considering that he has - on more than one occasion - been able to intercept other attacks on sheer muscle memory. : Hakuhei demonstrates adept skill within the sword. Hailing from the Kuchiki Clan, he has naturally been trained within the art to an extent where he can fight gracefully with the sword without much trouble. His style generally relies on the standard approach, using a solid stance in order to minimize his openings as much as possible. Furthermore, his swordsmanship is quite fast and difficult to read for a normal practitioner, albeit he is easily caught off-guard by those of a higher level of skill. : Hakuhei doesn't appear to engage in Hakuda very often, disliking the art because of his inability to become intimate with other people in any sense. However, he is capable of using kicking strikes quite effectively in comical situations. In a real battle, he would very likely attempt to distract his opponent with erratic movements while attempting to conceptualize a strategy involving his Zanpakutō or Kidō : Hakuhei's most notable skills lie in his ability to utilize Kidō. Kidō is an art of sorcery that is most practiced within the , though other souls and spiritual beings can possess it, or abilities similar to it. In any case, Kidō - at its basis - is the simple manipulation of one's internal spiritual energy into a variety of forms. This could be through the conversion of raw spiritual power into a flame-like substance, or it could be pressurizing it to conjure a powerful kinetic force. In any case, Hakuhei demonstrates apt skill within Kidō. Noted to be highly theoretical in his application, Hakuhei stays by the books. Instead of giving flair to his Kidō spells, he utilizes them sequentially in order to bolster their individual purposes and abilities. Considering that he can use Kidō, in both categories, up to #63, this is a significantly skillful approach to take. However, he does possess some Kidō spells he prefers over others, mainly due to their versatility. These include , , and . : Finally, Hakuhei demonstrates adept skill within Shunpo. While not privy to its techniques and associated elements, he does possess self-control when utilizing Shunpo. While his speed isn't extremely high, his control of direction is surprisingly impressive for one of his rank. However, if overwhelmed by stronger opponents, he could easily lose his sense of balance and direction. Zanpakutō Uroten (烏鷺天, Sky of Crows and Herons): Is the name of Hakuhei's zanpakutō. Within its sealed state, it takes the form of one of the few dual-bladed zanpakutō in existence, being compared to the likes of in this regard. Much like the Captain-Commander's, Hakuhei's zanpakutō bears the appearance of a standard daishō pair. The hilt of the katana is a very strong white color, which is accentuated by the guard taking the appearance of a traditional square-shaped . Likewise, the hilt of the wakizashi is a dark black color, with the guard having a similarly square-shaped mon as its shape. Little is known about the personality of the zanpakutō spirits, but they are apparently reflective of Hakuhei's duality and confusion within his own mind. *' ': Uroten's Shikai is released with the command Fly Beyond the World (世界お向こう跳ぶ為る, Sekai o Mukō Tobusuru). When doing so, Hakuhei throws his two blades consecutively into the air. Firstly, he throws his katana up into the air, and secondly he throws his wakizashi into the air. These blades glow with black and white spiritual energy respectively, and subsequently grow "wings" in replacement of their standard square-shaped guards. They are then brought into the possession of Hakuhei once again, though it appears that Hakuhei wishes for them to levitate, although they cannot do so yet. In this state, Uroten becomes a much easier blade to wield overall. It also possesses a significantly higher amount of cutting power, easily bifurcating lower-level hollows given that Hakuhei exerts an appropriate amount of effort. Furthermore, Hakuhei describes the blades to have a certain aesthetic appeal, something which he uses quite often to keep his opponents on his toes. :Shikai Special Ability: The special ability of Uroten is rather fitting given its name. While not awakened to their actual potential, Hakuhei has described their ability as "annoyingly difficult to get along with." He says this primarily due to the delay that lies between the use of one ability over the other, and the extreme rarity in which both aspects of his being come into agreement to form a unique fusion of the first two abilities of his Shikai. :*'Kurobane' (黒羽, Black Wing): Kurobane is the technique utilized by the part of the sword who names himself Karasu (烏, Crow); or for short, U'. The technique represents the most primordial aspect of Hakuhei - his Ōmura heritage. Due to the nature of his heritage being kept suppressed, Hakuhei rarely expresses this ability outright. The few times he has, however, the ability appears to be quite useful. True to Uroten's nature as a Kidō-type zanpakutō, Uroten holds an ability that primarily relies on Hakuhei's Kidō prowess in combination with his careless nature in this state of mind. Kurobane's primary ability is to create numerous black feathers that are constantly dancing around Hakuhei. The number of feathers, at this stage, are only limited to three at a time - mainly because of Hakuhei's inexperience. The actual purpose of these feathers, however, is to "imprint" a Kidō spell within them. Designating the spell, incarnation and manner which the reiryoku is shaped upon the conjuring of these feathers, Hakuhei can use them within battle to a tremendous effect. These spells cast on Hakuhei's orders, and hold power relatively equal to Hakuhei's own Kidō without incarnations. However, the frailty of the feathers only allows one spell to be used before the feather disintegrates. In addition, Hakuhei can only inscribe spells up to #33, otherwise the feather would overload from spiritual energy. This relates well with his berserk nature upon tapping his Ōmura heritage, quite easily allowing him to engage his enemy with a multitude of assaults at any given time and without warning. However, because these spells are both weak and - in Hakuhei's state of mind - quite uncontrollable, they could potentially backfire on him if he doesn't take necessary precautions. :*'Shirobane (白羽, White Wing): Shirobane is the technique utilized by the part of the sword who names herself Sagi (鷺, Heron); or for short, Ro. The technique is the one most easily accessed by, and currently the most practiced, by Hakuhei. This is due to the technique being a representation of his Kuchiki heritage, and the false personality that he adopts in order to confront the world. Like Kurobane, Shirobane does express Uroten's nature as a Kidō-type Zanpakutō quite well, but in a somewhat different manner. Hakuhei, upon using this technique, can conjure a number of white feathers to his side. Because of the nature of this technique, an upwards of twenty feathers may be conjured at any given time. Hakuhei is capable of manipulating these white feathers to actually absorb reishi independently from his being. After absorbing a certain quantity of reishi, which would be comparative to the amount of reishi absorbed to create the of the Quincy, Hakuhei then uses the actual nature of the technique. Shirobane actually utilizes the absorbed reishi in the feathers to convert the said feathers into spherical bullets of spiritual energy. Each bullet holds as much power as a standard spell. However, the bullets have explosive properties rather than using pure kinetic force. Notably, Hakuhei cannot effectively control more than ten of these feathers because of the concentration it takes to keep them active. Nonetheless, he is training to be rid of this limitation. :*'Hagoromo - Gin'iro Fukuji' (羽衣 - 銀色服地, Angel's Feathered Robe - Silver Cloth): The exact notion of this technique has not been revealed to Hakuhei or anybody else. However, it is implied that he must be able to unite both aspects of his soul in order to utilize the technique in any given fashion. Quotes Behind the Scenes Category:Male Category:Sixth Division Category:Kuchiki Clan Category:Character